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The full programme for the 55th London Film Festival was released yesterday, and it’s another strong year for Asian film. The line-up includes: the UK première of Takashi Miike’s follow up to 13 Assassins, a neo-classical remake of the Yasuhiko Takiguchi story about desperate, impoverished ronin and implacably cruel feudal lords, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (don’t know if the screenings will be in 3D?); Jiang Wen’s rumbustious comedy-adventure Let The Bullets Fly, starring Chow Yun-fat, Ge You and Jiang himself; A Simple Life, director Ann Hui’s first collaboration with Andy Lau since the film that helped make him a star nearly 30 years ago, Boat People; and AnDa Union: From the Steppes to the City, a documentary by Tim Pearce, Sophie Lascelles and Marc Tiley about Chinese Inner Mongolian band AnDa Union, which might very well be the soundtrack to the year. (more…)

Big thanks to all those of you who entered our Shaolin DVD competition. There were over 215 entries in all! Unfortunately we only have three copies of Benny Chan‘s awesome Shaolin to give away, and for those randomly picked winners your DVD will be on it’s way soon!

Shaolin, starring Asian superstars Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan, is released on DVD and Blu-ray by Cine-Asia today. Cine-Asia is also bringing back their mega-sale today, with the entire DVD and Blu-ray catalogue  available through online stockists and HMV and selected titles will be available through Asda, Blockbuster, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco. DVD’s will be available from £5 and Blu-ray’s from as little as £7, with new titles added to the sale including Ip Man 2, 71-Into The Fire, Young Bruce Lee, Woochi: The Demon Slayer and Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame.

‘Willie Chan, Jackie Chan, Frankie Chan, Benny Chan… We’re all related. That Momma Chan was a very busy lady!’… (more…)

Benny Chan does it again, with a superbly paced action film that stays true to the spirit of Shaolin kung fu… (more…)

Just been to an FDA screening of 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy. Bit of a mixed reaction to say the least: some folks left halfway through (yes, I will be reading what you say about the end!) and I definitely heard snoring near the end – but Mark Kermode seemed to be appropriately combing his quiff in the bathroom and The Observer’s Philip French was in attendance too! We’ll be bringing you our thoughts later in the week…

…in the meantime, here’s a clip (NOT FOR MINORS!)

Oooooh er, missus! easternKicks gets all saucy with the director of the new 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy movie, Christopher Sun Lap-Key. But you’d almost think it was more of a ‘chick flick’ to hear him describe it… (more…)

Actually saucy doesn’t even cover it! Seriously is only for Adults only, distributor Metrodome have left us in no quandary about just how sexy 3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy gets with this so-called ‘Red Band’ trailer. Well, it is an 18 certificate after all!

(For ‘Red Band’, read those funny little red triangles you used to get on Channel 4 all those years ago. Except I’m guessing this’ll be something folks will want to watch, not some weird art movie…)

It’s shattered box office records across the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and grossed over $1m on just 6 screens in Australia. In the UK it will be exclusively in Odeon Cinemas. Is this what 3D was for?

3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy comes to UK cinemas next Friday, 2 September.

Just remember if you watch the trailer, it is an adult movie… okay?

Yep, it’s competition time again – and this time we’re giving away Shaolin, starring Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan, on 2-disc DVD… (more…)

If there’s one film that should be on your calendar for the coming month, it’s Benny Chan’s remake of Jet Li’s The Shaolin Temple, simply titled Shaolin. Starring Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan, this is one martial arts epics that delivers for kung fu fans with fantastic action choreography by Corey Yuen and Yuen Tak – as well as everyone else with great performances by Lau and Tse! Just check out the official Cine-Asia trailer above…

It’s common knowledge now that Cine-Asia was just one of many retailers whose stock was involved in the Sony distribution centre fire started by rioters this week, which one source described as a ‘serious impact to the independent music and film industry!’ Thankfully they’re still on track for the release of Shaolin on 12th September.

We’ll be bringing you a full review soon and an exclusive interview with Benny soon, but watch out for our DVD competition in the next few days!

Shaolin is released on Blu-Ray and DVD by Cine-Asia on 12 September.

More great action from Donnie Yen, but also an intelligent historical drama thanks to writer/directors Alan Mak and Felix Chong (Infernal Affairs, Initial D: Drift Racer, Overheard)… (more…)

Coming soon to UK Blu-ray and DVD, the latest action flick from Donnie Yen, The Lost Bladesman, featuring choreography from the main man himself!

Based on the same source material that brought us Red Cliff and Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, Luo Guanzhong’s classic historical novel Romance Of The Three Kingdoms, this Chinese box office smash comes from Alan Mak and Felix Chong, the duo responsible for the Infernal Affairs trilogy.

The guys at Cult Labs have set up their own fan hub, which you can see here. The Lost Bladesman will be releases by Icon Home Entertainment on 8 August.

The spirit of Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer is alive and kicking in Derek Kwok and Clement Cheng’s new film… (more…)

“A WINNER… DELIVERS KNOCKOUT BLOW AFTER KNOCKOUT BLOW.” – TWITCH.

The old school-style kung fu genre is given a cracking contemporary makeover in Gallants, a “witty, hilarious, intelligent” (Twitch) action-comedy and “an admirable homage to an old genre delivered with the best of spirits” (Time Out, Hong Kong), “which captures the spirit of the old Shaw Brothers films” (Sound On Sight).

Co-directed by Derek Kwok (The Moss; The Pye-Dog) and Clement Cheng (his feature debut), and boasting a remarkable cast of acting talent that includes Teddy Robin (Twin Dragons), Wong You Nam (Ip Man), Jia Xiao Chen (All’s Well Ends Well 2011), MC Jin (2 Fast 2 Furious), Li Hai Tao (Vengeance; Triangle; Breaking News), Law Wing Cheong (Vengeance; Election) and legendary Hong Kong cinema veterans Leung Siu Lung (Kung Fu Hustle; Broken Oath), Chan Koon Tai (Dragon Tiger Gate; Born To Fight), Susan Shaw (The Mysterious Lady Killer), Chan Wai Man (Mr. Vampire), Li Ka (The Millionaires Express) and Turbo Law (Five Deadly Venoms), the film was the deserved winner of the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Teddy Robin), Best Supporting Actress (Susan Shaw) and Best Original Film Score accolades at the 2011 Hong Kong Film Awards.

When legendary kung fu master Law Sun (Teddy Robin) unexpectedly awakes from a 30-year coma he discovers that his once celebrated martial arts school has become a teahouse and is now under threat from a takeover bid by his former rival. Aided by his now middle-aged apprentices, Dragon (Chan Koon Tai) and Tiger (Leung Siu Lung), and an unlikely hero in the form of the nerdy estate agent tasked with progressing the takeover, Master Law sets about training a rag-tag band of fighters to compete in a forthcoming martial arts tournament. Winning the prize could safeguard all their futures, but anything less would mean a certain end for the both the school and for Master Law’s reputation.

Gallants (cert. tbc) will be released on DVD (£15.99) by MVM on 25th July 2011.

“EPIC BATTLE SCENES AND FURIOUS DUELS… YEN’S CHOREOGRAPHY IS A STUNNING AS EVER.” – BEYOND HOLLYWOOD.COM.

The source material for several screen adaptations over the years (including John Woo’s “Red Cliff” and Daniel Lee’s “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon”), Luo Guanzhong’s classic historical novel “Romance Of The Three Kingdoms” provides the inspiration for the sumptuous period martial arts epic and Chinese box office smash, The Lost Bladesman.

Co-written and co-directed by the duo responsible for the “Infernal Affairs” trilogy, Alan Mak and Felix Chong, and starring Donnie Yen (14 Blades; Bodyguards And Assassins; Ip Man), Jiang Wen (The Founding Of A Republic), Alex Fong (Triple Tap; Once A Gangster) and Sun Li (Fearless), with stunning action choreography by Yen, the film has been described as “an emotionally-charged, high-octane adventure [and] a couple of hours of rip-roaring entertainment in the company of one of history’s greatest badasses” (Twitch Film).

Yen stars as the legendary warrior Guan Yun Chang, sworn brother of the great warlord Liu Bei, who, on becoming separated from his friend during the tumultuous warring period of the Three Kingdoms, is taken prisoner by and agrees to fight temporarily alongside Liu Bei’s enemy and rival warlord, Cao Cao.

Guan’s heroism on the battlefield is rewarded with the title of Marquis of Hanshou and promotion to the rank of lieutenant general in Cao Cao’s army. The position allows him the freedom to escort Liu Bei’s concubine, Qi Lan, who is being held hostage by Cao Cao, back to her lord and master. But the journey is fraught with danger as Guan and Qi Lan must make their way through a number of mountain passes, all of which are occupied by enemy generals and their armies.

“Glorious martial arts mastery” (Variety) and “impressive vistas and gorgeous scenery” (BeyondHollywood.com) add a visual splendour to a film that is “brimming with action” (Twitch Film) and reaffirms Donnie Yen as one of Eastern cinema’s most appealing and enduring action stars.

The Lost Bladesman (cert. 12) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£15.99) by Icon Home Entertainment on 8th August 2011.

With Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame just out on UK Blu-ray and DVD, we chat to the New Wave Hong Kong director and massively influential film producer Tsui Hark… (more…)

Yep, the legendary label is back from today, starting with Fist Of Fury, Prodigal Son, Ong-Bak and Warrior King…

From today Hong Kong Legends titles will be reissued by Cine-Asia under their banner as ‘Cine-Asia presents…’. Steve Rivers, who launched the HKL label originally, now executive director of Cine-Asia parent company Showbox Media was very excited, stating: ‘It’s fantastic to have these films come round again, because we enjoyed them, and we’re passionate about them. We’re hoping new fans to the Jackie Chan films since he’s been in Hollywood, and to films that we’ve put out, like Little Big Soldier and Robin-B-Hood. We hope that these releases will compliment our own, for instance those interested in the recent release of Young Bruce Lee will now be able to enjoy Bruce’s original films.

Steve stressed that because of the agreement with eOne — who actually own these titles and rights to distribution in the UK since they bought the HKL label originally when they were called Contender — the distinction being that the ‘presents…’ tag means the content is the same as has previously been released. These versions will not include any additional or new content.

The line-up starts with Bruce Lee’s Fist Of Fury, Sammo Hung’s cult classic The Prodigal Son, and two from Tony Jaa, Ong-Bak and The Warrior King. The next batch on 1 August includes a bumper stash of Jackie Chan with Police Story, Police Story 2 and the thoroughly unconnected New Police Story. There’s more Chan on the 22 August with Heart Of Dragon, Dragons Forever and Dragon Lord, as well as Bruce Lee’s Way Of The Dragon. Release dates are a little sketchy after that, but further releases include the 2-disc ultimate edition of Yuen Woo-Ping’s outstanding collaboration with star Donnie Yen, Iron Monkey on 26 September.

Our full interview with Steve — a rather enlightening look behind the scenes at one of the UK’s foremost Asian labels — will be published later this week…